We have already been over paying for the connections speeds and quality that we have been getting for the past couple of years. Some may see this as a good offer because the prices may seem to be a little lower than normal. But paying a little more does not mean that the quality of service will be better.

IMO, we should already been having a minimum speed of 2Mb since maybe 2 years ago at a lower price than currently. For example, 512Kb package has been at RM66 for the past 6-7 years without TM upgrading the speed or reducing the price for it. I guess there was no need to make any changes since for those years, there were no or not much other choices.

Normally, when such offers come along, there is usualy some up coming event which we are not aware of. For example, the 4 months "free / less payment" takes us into Mar 2010. This is supposed to be when HSBB may start being launched in certain areas.

The 24 month contract seems to tie in with the time it is supposed to take for HSBB to be more widely available in the country. So TM is probably trying to attract existing customers and tie them down with a contract so that by the time HSBB comes around, the customers will still be with them to upgrade to HSBB. Otherwise, customers may move away to other operators who may offer better services in that time frame.

Maxis seems to be doing some fiber connection testing and maybe that will be rolled out in the next few months? So again TM has to make some move to retain customers.

Maybe P1 or Digi also already has plans to expand more in the next year. Isn't YTL is supposed to be working on a 4G network in the next year or so? But TM is not ready and may take another 1-2 years to complete the HSBB.

This offer may also be a way for TM to start adjusting their pricing to cater for HSBB pricing. After all, imagine if 1Mb is RM88 and 4Mb is RM260 (standard package), what would a 8Mb or 10Mb be? With such offers, by seemingly reducing the prices for a higher speed, eg 2Mb for RM110 or 4Mb for RM130 (standard packages), then we should expect (or at least hope) that an 8Mb or 10Mb could be some RM180-200? If so, some may think that is not bad. But we should be asking whether should we be paying RM110 for 2Mb to begin with?

IMO, if TM is really wanting to promote broadband in the country, apart from improving the quality of service, what they should have done (at least a year ago) is to upgrade all existing customers to the next higher package automaticaly at the current price that the customer is paying. That is, a 512Kbat RM66 should now be a 1Mb. A 1Mb at RM88 should now be a 2Mb etc. There is also room to adjust the pricing a little lower as well. This can be done as TM already has a customer base to statistically compute if such adjustments would affect their bottom line. Unlike a new player who cannot do such as they don't have a large existing customer base yet.

Those willing to sign-up for the 24 month contract should also get proper clarification whether the cancellation fee is really RM350 as it says that is an administrative fee. Normally, if you cancel, you are liable to pay up for the rest of the contract period. Make sure this RM350 is not something on top of that as well.

TM seems to complicate things by having so many different packages with different conditions and options. In the end, it all comes to the same thing. We need a phone line, we need the internet access. Even with the combo packages supposedly with no line rental, it does not differe much with standard package with phone rental (based on before this offer). Packages should be stream lined. I guess the TM marketing people need to do all these packages to show that they are doing their job...

Even though the AAG has been launched, there does not seem to be any speed difference (not sure about corporate users) at this time. With this offer, if more existing customers are going to move to higher packages, are we really going to get higher speeds?

Maybe so that when HSBB is out, they can say it cost RM388 for 10Mb. Then also offer a combo or other offer package at a lower price than that. So everyone thinks they are getting a good deal for the new 10Mb package...?


Exactly. But of course TM will say that the RM88 1Mb user is also given an offer to upgrade at a reduced cost and it is the user's own problem for not upgrading...

Again, the better way would be for TM just to upgrade everyone to the next higher package. That may be a better PR move than offering upgrades and asking user to pay extra with a 24 month contract.

You must look at the price for an entry point package to make proper comparison. Say for an entry point package of 1Mb, RM88 is still high. But they need to keep that so that when they charge for a 10Mb package later, you are comparing that price against the high 1Mb price, so the difference may not be too much. But if the entry point 1Mb price is say RM40, then the higher package prices will start to look expensive.

This is partly customers own fault also. Most of us done complaint or switch to alternatives etc. So these companies have not much reason to keep the old customer happy because they think the customers will stay with them anyway.

Is there a new contract if you downgrade? If not, find out if you can downgrade to 512K, then when that is done, upgrade to 1M at RM71? Not sure if it will work...

This may be the start of a re-pricing.

A decoder or car is different because it is a physical thing. Streamyx is a service. If your Astro subscribtion is now RM100 and they have new packages similar to your for RM50, don't you think you should be able to change to the new price? If in the past you were paying a higher rate for the electricity service and now they reduce the price per unit, do you still pay the old price or new? Similarly for toll or your bus pass etc etc. There is a difference between tangible products vs intangible services.

Your point is noted.

This indicates that even after the 24 months, the price will remain at RM71 and won't go back to the normal price without the offer.

But I wonder what happens if... After TM has locked in users by the end of this year for a 24 month contract, they decide to revise their pricing structure to cater for HSBB higher speed packages. And say they start at RM60 for 1Mb package. I guess then we pay RM71 for 1Mb at least until the contract is over?

The key here is that they want to retain users from competitors or lock in a price for 24 months.

What do you mean you don't have an upgrade option?

I don't think home users will be able to get that. It would be for corporate users.

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Added on November 27, 2009, 11:59 amOk, now I know what Boomeraangkid meant. He left out the key word "online when he said "no upgrade option".


This post has been edited by mylinear: Nov 27 2009, 11:59 AM

I thought someone posted earlier that the online upgrade only had the normal upgrade option and not this special upgrade option? From what package to what package did you upgrade online?

To those who have gone to TMPoint, did you ask about whether the RM350 admin fee is applicable if within the 24 months there are HSBB packages and you want to switch to it?

I think at least Klang Valley is targetted for next year.

http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIM...icle/index_html

You better clarify this again. You say change to 1mb combo for next 1 year, then only upgrade to 2Mb? The super upgrade offer is only valid till end of this year, right? So how is it that 1 year from now they can tell you that you will still get the upgrade price?

If what they have told you is right, then it is possible that as some of us have said before, this is a re-pricing exercise.

I suggest you call 100 and ask them whether 4Mb is available in your area. They should be able to give you more info about your enquiry.

I thought you cannot upgrade Standard 384/512K to Combo?

But UFO said it was an online upgrade.

Also, this is different from what their terms say.

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For customers subscribing to lower speed packages (384kbps or 512kbps), only lateral speed upgrade are allowed.( E.g. Streamyx Standard packages with modem to Streamyx Standard packages with modem, Streamyx Combo to Streamyx Combo, Wifi@Home to Wifi@Home)
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The 1024 you see in your modem status means that your port is capable to go up to 1024. It does not mean you are getting 1024 now. On the TM side, if your Streamyx account is set to 512, that will be your speed even though your port is capable of 1024.

Your example of people complaining is the other way around. Their Streamyx account is set to 1024, but their port is only capable of 512. So they will only get 512 because that is the port limit. In that case, they complain and get the port changed to 1024.

You should do a speed test or a file download test to see what sort of speeds you are getting. Try these:


http://219.93.175.234/bandwidthspeed.htm

http://speed.tm.net.my/

http://speedtest.net/
(choose KL or Penang)

What is your port settings shown on your modem status? You may be lucky and have a port set to 1.5 or 2 Mb. Some who have the port at 1Mb may only get 0.8Mb in the speed test.

The status says In Progress, which means the upgrade is not completed. Check again later on and see if status shows as Completed. Then maybe the upgrade was successful, although it should not be.

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Added on December 17, 2009, 5:27 pmI was told by 100 that it is not possible. But who knows whether they know... I guess there is no harm trying? At most, it wil be rejected right? As long as they don't cancel your acount or ask you to go TM Point to sort out any errors...


This post has been edited by mylinear: Dec 17 2009, 05:27 PM

It is not only for old 1Mb users. Even the 2Mb / 4Mb with offer is slightly cheaper than what old users are paying. Then there is difference between Standard and Combo, which used to be approx the same last time, but now especially the 2Mb package has a RM15 difference between them.

Then you have some 512K users upgrading to MMb now and getting maybe 0.8Mbps but there are some getting approx 1.Mbps. This is probably due to the different port type given to the users.

There does not seem to be any proper standard or quality from TM for these packages.